Your child may go home from hospital with the PICC still in place. It is important to care for it properly to prevent infection and keep it working.

Your child’s doctor or nurse will show you how to care for the PICC. A Hospital in the Home (HITH) nurse will also check in with you regularly.

The following tips can help you look after the PICC at home.

Hygiene

• wash hands carefully and wear gloves when handling the PICC or changing the dressing
• keep ends, syringes, and connectors away from surfaces that are not sterile, or completely free of germs.

Showering

• always keep the dressing clean and dry
• for baths, keep the PICC out of the water
• for showers, cover the area with plastic cling wrap, taped at each end
• for more information, see the Bathing and showering with a CVAD patient information sheet.

Dressing

• check daily that the dressing is secure and not peeling off
• change dressing every seven days, following the instructions given by your child’s treatment team
• this includes removing the old dressing, cleaning the skin with antiseptic, and applying a new one.

Checking the line

• check the line is not kinked or bent
• check the line is not shorter or longer than normal
• be careful when helping your child get dressed to avoid pulling or accidentally removing the PICC.

Avoiding damage

• make sure your child avoids contact sports or rough play to avoid damage
• do not allow anyone to touch the PICC, except for trained health professionals.

If your child has chest pain or difficulty breathing

1. clamp the line
2. call triple zero (000) for an ambulance
3. lie your child on their left side with their head down.

If your child develops a fever or signs of infection

Stop the infusor, clamp the line and take your child to the nearest emergency department if your child develops:

• a fever
• swelling, redness, or pain at the PICC entry site
• swelling, redness or pain up the arm.

If the PICC is accidentally removed 

1. lie your child down
2. press firmly on the site with clean cotton wool or a towel for five minutes
3. once bleeding stops, cover with a clean dressing
4. call your child’s treatment team or HITH nurse.

If the Infusor becomes disconnected

1. clamp the line
2. do not attempt to reconnect
3. call your child’s treatment team or HITH nurse.

If the PICC breaks

1. stop the infusion
2. clamp the line above the break, closest to the skin where it was inserted
3. if you cannot clamp it, bend the PICC above the break and tape it firmly together
4. cover with gauze or a clean, disposable towel
5. secure with a spare dressing
6. call your child’s treatment team or HITH nurse.

If the dressing is loose, wet or dirty

1. do not remove it
2. cover it with a spare, clean dressing
3. call your child’s treatment team or HITH nurse.

If the PICC appears longer or shorter than before

1. secure it with a spare dressing
2. call your child’s treatment team or HITH nurse.

If there is leaking or drainage at the site

1. stop the infusor and clamp the line
2. call your child’s treatment team or HITH nurse.

The PICC will be removed when treatment ends or if it’s not working. A trained doctor or nurse can remove it easily without general anaesthetic.

Flushing is when a normal salt water or saline solution is pushed into the PICC by a syringe. This helps to stop it from becoming blocked and is done after medication o nutrition has been given.

Locking is when an anti-blood clotting and antibacterial solution is left in the line if it’s not used for a few days to a week. This helps prevent infection and blockages.

Because the PICC sits close to the heart inside the body, there is a small chance it could:

• damage a blood vessel or the heart
• cause a blood clot
• cause severe infection.

These problems are very rare but can be life-threatening.

Your child’s doctor will explain the risks and benefits before the procedure. Make sure to ask any questions you have about the PICC and how to care for it.